Clean Water Rollbacks an Assault on Public Health

The Trump Administration announced today its final policy to replace the Obama-era “Clean Water Rule” that governed how the EPA regulates streams, wetlands and other bodies of water.

The Trump Administration’s policy greatly reduces clean water protections, and is the latest in a recent series of administration rollbacks of clean water and clean air protections which have tended to disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition strongly opposes the move.

“We strongly oppose this move from the Trump administration to finalize its attempt to weaken clean water protections,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “All of our waters are connected, and this new rule threatens the public health of the more than 30 million Americans who rely on the Great Lakes for drinking water.

“Clean Water is a basic need and a top health priority. With many of our towns and cities still living with unsafe drinking water, now is not the time to cut back on clean water enforcement. We need more – not less – protection for clean water.

“With this assault on clean water protections, the administration is undermining efforts to restore the Great Lakes, threatening drinking water supplies, jeopardizing public health, and damaging the outdoor economy and quality of life of the Great Lakes region.”